Friday, November 22, 2013

Loopholes - Where to travel to do things that are illegal in the U.S

source: Complex



If you like graffiti...

Travel to: Switzerland, Denmark, Australia among others
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Depending on the property damage, Up to $1,000
Graffiti is considered vandalism in most places across the U.S. However there are some places around the world that are more lenient on graffit regulation and even encourage it, as they consider it art.

If you want to grow weed...

Travel to: Spain; Iran; North Korea
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Up to 10 years in prison and up to one million dollars in fines
If buying weed isn't enough, feel free to travel to Spain, Iran, or North Korea to cultivate a little bit of cannibas for your personal use.

If you like to hack computers...

Travel to: Russia
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Up to 20 years in prison; Up to $15,000 in fines
Home to some of the most malicious computer viruses, Russia is considered a safe haven for hackers. In some areas of Moscow, magazines on the subject of hacking and hacking software are sold on the streets. While the country struggles to offer jobs to its youth, many precocious math students are resorting to hacking to make fast money. Talk about "the struggle."

If you want to deface money...

Travel to: Anywhere
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: No more than six months in jail; Fined $100
If you're currently in that iconoclastic, post-teen rebellion phase and just want to burn money out of youthful angst, you may want to restrain yourself—it's illegal. While burning the American flag is protected under the clause of "symbolic protest," burning U.S. currency isn't. But if you feel like burning U.S. dollars anyway, authorities across the globe won't punish you for doing so. Not their cash, not their problem.

If you want to marry someone of the same sex…

Travel to: Argentina; Belgium; Brazil; Canada; South Africa; Iceland; France among others
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: N/A
By 2014, only fifteen states will have legalized same-sex marriage. While it's better than some countries in Africa that punish homosexuality with the death penalty, the U.S. could do better to set a worldwide standard. Luckily, some countries in Europe and South America have completely legalized same-sex marriage. Use that foreign loophole as an excuse for a romantic getaway.

If you like absinthe...

Travel to: Europe; Australia
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: N/A
Technically the 90+ year ban on absinthe was overturned in 2007. However it still has strict regulations. It must be under 10 mg of thujone (the chemical thought to cause hallucinating and it must not contain any imagery alluding to psychedlia or hallucinogens. I you want to let out your inner Oscar Wilde and cavort with the Green Fairy, take a trip to Europe and try the hard stuff; it can contain nearly 35 mg of thujone.

If you want to speed…

Travel to: Germany
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Up to $250 in fines; Possible driver's license confiscation
Not many people can get away with going 100 mph on the highway without getting an expensive speeding ticket. But if you're looking to burn some rubber and can't get that adrenaline kick in the U.S., head to Germany. On Germany's autobahns, more than half of the highway network has no mandated speed limit. Some cars can reach well over 190 mph.

If you want more than one wife...

Travel to: Various places in Africa, including Nigeria; Some parts of Asia
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Up to nine years in jail; Up to $10,000 in fines
Even though polygamy is outlawed in all 50 states that hasn't stopped some from consummating marriages with multiple partners. Don't expect to move to Europe and South America for the opportunity. But, you can have some luck in many parts of Africa and Asia, as polygamy is legal by law there.

If you want to buy a drink underage...

Travel to: Nearly anywhere in Europe; Russia; Various places in Asia
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Up to $2,500 in fines; Up to one year in jail
21st birthdays are a significant milestone in the U.S. but in nearly every other country, anyone who is 18 can already drink alcohol. Even in some countries like the Netherlands and Luxembourg, minors of the age of 16 can already begin to drink. In yet other countries, like Russia, there are no laws that prohibit minors from consuming alcohol. No wonder Russians can handle their liquor so well.

If you want to smoke weed...

Travel to: North Korea
Punishment if caught in the U.S.: Up to three years in jail; Up to $5,000 in fines
Traveling to North Korea just to smoke weed legally seems a bit far-fetched. Especially considering that 20 U.S. states have legalized medical marijuana, and in some cases (shout out to Washington and Colorado) have legalized marijuana. But, if country-wide liberalism towards Mary Jane is what you seek, North Korea might be the move. The country doesn't even recognize weed as a drug. Smoke a cigarette, light a spliff—it's all the same in North Korea.


RELATED: 15 Things You've Done on the Internet That Are Probably Illegal 
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